Soft Red Winter Wheat Cultivar Response to Tillage in the Mid-Atlantic Coastal Plain

Abstract

Current cropping systems in the Mid-Atlantic Coastal Plain utilize no-tillage seeding methods for corn and soybean, but no-tillage small grain acreage is also increasing in this region. The objectives of this research were to evaluate soft red winter wheat cultivars for grain yield, test weight, and lodging across three tillage systems in the Mid-Atlantic Coastal Plain. Five soft red winter wheat cultivars were grown under no-tillage, reduced tillage, and conventional tillage in the Coastal Plain of Virginia from 2002-2004. Grain yields for the site averaged 80, 60, and 71 bu/acre in 2002, 2003, and 2004, respectively. Grain yield and test weight was effected by tillage treatment only in 2002 when the lower yields and test weights under conventional tillage were likely due to a higher degree of lodging. There was no consistent influence of tillage treatment on any variety. High-yielding cultivars performed similarly under conventional, reduced, and no-tillage systems. Cultivar recommendations for the region should not be made separately on the basis of tillage system.